Sitting at the airport I am still not able to believe that my journey in Israel over. I thought walking out of the Kfar would do it, or maybe saying goodbye to everyone, but it still did not feel real then. I got to the airport, sweaty from carrying all of my stuff in the sweltering summer heat of Isreal, and called my parents to tell them everything was ok and all that jazz. My Dad says to me on the phone, "it must have been tough to leave" and just then it felt like a frog was in my throat and my heart jumped into my stomach and I responded "not really, I just need a beer..."! Nonetheless, it is hard...it is difficult to put these 5 months into perspective. Did I do enough? Did I accomplish what I came to? Was my dream fulfilled? Thinking about these things gives me a headache, just thinking about "what if" but the biggest one is "what if I never came?"...when I think about that I know that I did enough, accomplished enough and fulfilled a dream just by stepping outside of the box and trying to give back to this world. It would be a lie to say that I never shed a tear of sadness, never got frustrated with the program, the kfar or the students or that I didn't want to go home sooner that I had planned.
I could go on in a list of the things I didn't accomplish here: my hebrew still is not good, I did not make many strong friendships, nor did I see so much of the difference I made at Hakfar Hayarok. However, the lessons I have learned here about myself and others, religion, Israel and the world are irreplaceable and could never have been expected. It is like when you don't get the present you want but you get something even better you never could have imagined. This is how I feel about my Israel experience.
In the end, though, the memories I am thinking of as I sit in the airport today are those of students happy to see me when they returned from holidays or weekends with their families,
celebrating 60 years of Israel in the streets of Tel Aviv, showing Alfredo the wonder of this land, and challenging myself to see new perspectives on people, places and life.
My mom wrote me last night to tell me how proud she and my dad were that I had realized a dream at my age and left the comfort of home to do so. I think everyone does something at my age that is realizing a dream-this is what your 20s are for-but mine was just a little farther away. My parents moved across the country to Michigan, where they knew no one, which was certainly a huge step for both of them. My sister just got married...my brother won award after award in graduate school...Maya moved across the country to work on a campaign because it was a dream of hers...Alyssa taught English in Korea. Everyone does this, and must, because otherwise you wake up when you are 50 and think "Where did my life go?"
It is actually funny because on my program I ended up sharing a room with a girl named Amy who could not have bee nmore different than me but saw life in a very similar way. She would approve of me to describe her as a rucksack wanderer...a Canadian hippy with dreadlocks. This was probably the person I was the closest with here, the last one I would have expected. The thing that bonded us, though, was our desire to live life to its fullest, to see the good in life and to always hope for a better future in this world. We spoke yesterday how it may be morbid but we think often about "If I died tomorrow, would I have done enough?" and both decided that it was better to think this way than to have it any other because when it comes to the end of our lives, we hope to be happy and fulfilled.
So now I will go back to my life, hopefully just glide right back into where I was when I left my family and friends and start law school. In explanation of my cheesy title to this entry, "lehitraot" is the Hebrew was of saying "See you later" and that is how I feel about leaving Israel because I know I will be back soon, very soon. Israel will always be in my heart, my soul and my thoughts because my connection to Israel is forever a part of me. Just as I cannot tell the beginning of it, so too can I not tell the end. I leave knowing I will return soon to see the country that means so much to me and reminds me that anything is possible in this world, in a land that has been taken away from and given back to the Jews, brought them together after thousands of years in Diaspora and has survived so many enemies. For me, this is my homeland and always reminds me that, as a Jew, I have a place in this world too!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Ramat HaGolan and Druze
The past two days have been spent on a very interesting trip with my program. We went up north to the Senir Stream to hike near Mt. Hermon, the tallest mountain in Israel which is shared with Syria and Lebanon. It was beautiful hiking through the lush green of the north after having spent so much time in the desert with Gadna and my trip to Eilat. It was still very hot but it was beautifully refreshing. We also visited the Hula Valley Nature Reserve which is in the valley adjacent to the Golani mountains of the Golan Heights. This Nature Reserve is well known as a common stopping place for the birds that migrate from Europe to Africa in the winter and is filled with many of them during the migratory season. Unfortunately, when we were there we saw but a few birds in the beautiful landscape although we did enjoy the sunflower seeds of the sunflowers that were growing and the trees with delicious wild berries.
That night we arrived at a Druze village called Peki'in, where we were staying the night. In all honestly, Jews and Christians live in this village as well but it is predominanty Druze. In fact, the oldest dated synogogue is in this village and is dated to be 2,000 years old from the second temple period. We had tea at a beautiful place (see the pictures) and then dinner at a family's home. This family owns a restaurant in the town but since we were such a large group they closed their restaurant and had it on the roof of their home, where their family has lived for over 100 years. The family in the village itself for far longer. We watched the most beautiful sunset and the rising of the moon over the mountains (see the pictures) while we ate the most delicious meal of stuffed grape leaves, kabobs, salads and falafel that I have had yet since being here. Afterwards, we sat and talked to the family about the family, Druze culture and lifestyle. We learned that Druze is a unitarian monotheistic reformation of Islam that is very small and peaceful. They reside almost wholely in the mountains of Israel, Syria and Lebanon where they used to have to hide to escape persecution and struggle to maintain the Druze life, which is also why they were forced to keep the religion a secret for many, many years. They dress and eat and pray much like Muslims but it is forbidden to consume drugs or alcohol and no one can convert to be Druze and one cannot marry a non-Druze and still be considered Druze. It is a small, strong group that considers itself more of a social group or a culture than a religion, we were told by this family.
Druze live with the Jews and Christians in the town beautifully and, in fact, helped to hide Jews in the caves of the mountains when they were trying to escape persecution from the Romans. Today, there are only 3 Jewish families who maintain the synagogue and a small number of Christians (I am unsure of the number) but they live comfortably and peacefully together, we were told and observed. Druze signed, upon creation of the IDF, that they will serve just as any Israeli does even if it means that they may have to fight against other Druze in Syria and Lebanon. It is unlike the Bedouins, who signed that they had the option to fight for Israel or not when they were of that age.
The next day we took a walk around the town, which the 100 shekel bill is designed after (the buildings, tree and pool of water you see on the bill are from this town) and went to a soap factory that has a secret formula generations old in a Druze family of Peki'in. Then we went and saw the tomb of a Rabbi in Tiberias who was well known for his contribution to the Talmud. People were praying devoutly to this Rabbi as if he held a secret to life, and it was strange to me that I did not feel the same power I have at other places of Jewish worship and history. However, I do commend those that are able to do so by giving so freely of their faith and believing so devoutly.
We ended the trip in Jerusalem where Lori's son was finishing his 40 kilometer hike to get his beret, meaning he finished his training to be in the Paratroopers Unit. It was very emotional and beautiful to see these men accomplish something they have worked so hard for, and to make it into such an elite unit of the army. For Israelis, this is a real rite of passage to finish this hike, which all the units have to do but in different places in the country to get their beret. The berets are different colors for the different units and until you finish this hike you must wear a gray one, which means that you are still in training, so receiving the colored beret is a big deal. Lori cried and her family and in-laws, except the twin of the son receiving the beret because he is in a different elite unit and could not get out of the army in time, came to see the ceremony. There are awards for outstanding soldier, which he was considered for, but he was honored when his Officer took his beret off his head and gave it to him rather than give him a new one. It is a great honor to have your officer do this for you and Lori cried when it happened...oh moms! It was really fascinating to see this, though, because I have heard about it from friends and to see it just helps me understand just a bit more about the culture of the army and the life of the army, as well as that of Israel in general. One of the friends of Lori's son is what they call a "lonely solider" meaning he does not have family in Israel. This friend, Rafael, made Aliyah from Australia and is now in this elite unit, which is quite impressive. Anyway, his mom came in and surprised him when he finished the hike and for the ceremony so I thought it was so beautiful how powerful that must be for an olim (immigrant to Israel) and his mother.
It was a very interesting trip where I learned about Druze culture as well as more about Israeli culture by attending the paratrooper ceremony and understanding a cultural group that is an integral part of Israel as such a friend to Jews.
That night we arrived at a Druze village called Peki'in, where we were staying the night. In all honestly, Jews and Christians live in this village as well but it is predominanty Druze. In fact, the oldest dated synogogue is in this village and is dated to be 2,000 years old from the second temple period. We had tea at a beautiful place (see the pictures) and then dinner at a family's home. This family owns a restaurant in the town but since we were such a large group they closed their restaurant and had it on the roof of their home, where their family has lived for over 100 years. The family in the village itself for far longer. We watched the most beautiful sunset and the rising of the moon over the mountains (see the pictures) while we ate the most delicious meal of stuffed grape leaves, kabobs, salads and falafel that I have had yet since being here. Afterwards, we sat and talked to the family about the family, Druze culture and lifestyle. We learned that Druze is a unitarian monotheistic reformation of Islam that is very small and peaceful. They reside almost wholely in the mountains of Israel, Syria and Lebanon where they used to have to hide to escape persecution and struggle to maintain the Druze life, which is also why they were forced to keep the religion a secret for many, many years. They dress and eat and pray much like Muslims but it is forbidden to consume drugs or alcohol and no one can convert to be Druze and one cannot marry a non-Druze and still be considered Druze. It is a small, strong group that considers itself more of a social group or a culture than a religion, we were told by this family.
Druze live with the Jews and Christians in the town beautifully and, in fact, helped to hide Jews in the caves of the mountains when they were trying to escape persecution from the Romans. Today, there are only 3 Jewish families who maintain the synagogue and a small number of Christians (I am unsure of the number) but they live comfortably and peacefully together, we were told and observed. Druze signed, upon creation of the IDF, that they will serve just as any Israeli does even if it means that they may have to fight against other Druze in Syria and Lebanon. It is unlike the Bedouins, who signed that they had the option to fight for Israel or not when they were of that age.
The next day we took a walk around the town, which the 100 shekel bill is designed after (the buildings, tree and pool of water you see on the bill are from this town) and went to a soap factory that has a secret formula generations old in a Druze family of Peki'in. Then we went and saw the tomb of a Rabbi in Tiberias who was well known for his contribution to the Talmud. People were praying devoutly to this Rabbi as if he held a secret to life, and it was strange to me that I did not feel the same power I have at other places of Jewish worship and history. However, I do commend those that are able to do so by giving so freely of their faith and believing so devoutly.
We ended the trip in Jerusalem where Lori's son was finishing his 40 kilometer hike to get his beret, meaning he finished his training to be in the Paratroopers Unit. It was very emotional and beautiful to see these men accomplish something they have worked so hard for, and to make it into such an elite unit of the army. For Israelis, this is a real rite of passage to finish this hike, which all the units have to do but in different places in the country to get their beret. The berets are different colors for the different units and until you finish this hike you must wear a gray one, which means that you are still in training, so receiving the colored beret is a big deal. Lori cried and her family and in-laws, except the twin of the son receiving the beret because he is in a different elite unit and could not get out of the army in time, came to see the ceremony. There are awards for outstanding soldier, which he was considered for, but he was honored when his Officer took his beret off his head and gave it to him rather than give him a new one. It is a great honor to have your officer do this for you and Lori cried when it happened...oh moms! It was really fascinating to see this, though, because I have heard about it from friends and to see it just helps me understand just a bit more about the culture of the army and the life of the army, as well as that of Israel in general. One of the friends of Lori's son is what they call a "lonely solider" meaning he does not have family in Israel. This friend, Rafael, made Aliyah from Australia and is now in this elite unit, which is quite impressive. Anyway, his mom came in and surprised him when he finished the hike and for the ceremony so I thought it was so beautiful how powerful that must be for an olim (immigrant to Israel) and his mother.
It was a very interesting trip where I learned about Druze culture as well as more about Israeli culture by attending the paratrooper ceremony and understanding a cultural group that is an integral part of Israel as such a friend to Jews.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
As a dream comes to an end...
Well, it is hard ot believe that there is only one week left to this five month adventure of mine. The last few weeks when I have not been writing have been filled with exciting trips, events and just savoring the last cherished times here in Israel. Although I know I will be back, and I am sure soon, it will never be like I was on this trip-here for so long, so familiar and free and open. In case any of you do not know, this was a dream of mine to live in ISrael for al ong period of time since I was bat mitzvahed here atop Masada when I was 12 years old. The fact that this dream of mine, for so much of my life, is coming to a close is like a strange reality that I must face...what is next? REAL LIFE!
Since I last wrote I have been on many trips with my group and on my own. First, we took a day trip to Ashdod, a small city south of Tel Aviv on the coast that is home to many Ethiopian immigrants. We met with people at an absorption center to learn about Ethiopian life in Israel, since we work with so many Ethiopians on the Kfar. It is so fascinating how they lead their life and then came to Israel. They practice Judaism as if it never had so much of the Rabbinical law that we follow. However, their laws of Kashrut and regarding Shabbat are nearly the same. When they first came to Israel, though, the State of Israel determined that they were JEwish in terms of the "law of return" meaning that they had the right as Jews to return to the land of Zion, but the religious Rabbis did not accept them as Jewish. They wanted all of them to be converted to be Jewish, or else they could not marry in Israel. There were many protests regarding this, because the Ethiopians did not want to convert to a religion they beleived they were-the men did not want to be re-circumsized when they had had their bris when they were babies just like every other Jewish man. Aside from the shock that they were not accepted as Jews, they moved from third world Africa to first world Israel. If you have read "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamante, just imagine their lives in Ethiopia as it was described in that book. They had to be taught about running water, toilets, cooking indoors, etc. But one thing must be remembered- they had a holiday in Ethiopia where they would go up on a particular hilltop and pray to get to Jerusalem, to return to Jerusalem, and now they were returned to the land of Zion. Many of them live in poverty in Israel because the parents do not know how to speak Hebrew well and they do not know how to live in this world, or how to do the jobs that are necessary. So, the absorbtion center that we visited helps the youth to keep them off the street and out of trouble so that the next generation will be better integrated into Israeli life. It was an interesting visit.
The next trip that we took was to the West Bank, to Judean Samaria where radical Jews have been creating settlements to take back the land they believe to be ours from the time of the bible. We saw how they live and why they choose to live in this area "illegally" since Olmert has made building new "homes" in the West Bank illegal according to the zoning laws. We learned how they get around the laws to build their homes. While this is certainly not a funny matter, it was an interesting tour because it was like one of those new developments in the US where they give you a pamphlet about how great it is and how you around...only this time they showedy ou the factory where they produce the walls that go up over night so that no one comes and stops them, the Yeshiva, the Shul and the Mikveh. It is actually a beautiful place with magnificent views that we saw through windows of the bullet proof bus we took there. At the end the man who took us there and gave us his very biased view of life there, as a resident, he told us "thank you for coming and seeing the "facts" for yourself. Now there was a great deal I learned on that day, and much of it was truthful information, but from a biased point of view and much of it was certainly not warranting the title of "facts". Nonetheless, you can't know the whole picture until you see the extremes, right? Or maybe the proper go-to phrase is "that's why they make vanilla and chocolate ice cream" as my mom always said.
The most interesting part of the past few weeks, though, was certainly my 4 day Gadna experience in which I learned a taste of what it is to be a combat soldier. Yes, I smeared charcoal on my face and decorated myself with leaves and branches when I learned about camoflauge (there are pictures that are posted here so you can see) and I shot an M-16. The M-16 is the gun that all the soldiers in Israel carry, and also the gun used for Vietnam. Yes, my father was apparantly an excellent shot on an M-16 but that certainly did not get passed on to me who did not hit the target event once (it was the gun!). Does anyone know where those guns were made? Yes, that is correct by Colt in Hartford, Conn. It is labeled on every gun, along with "Property of the US Govt." Strange to see the first time but we are allies, right? I learned a lot about the army and sat in the place of a 17 year old who would be going to the army in the next year. Gadna was developed for high school students with only 1 year left before the army, so they are about 17, to give them a perspective of what it will be like, mostly so that they are not scared and learn about it before they get there so they know how it will be. For me, it was culmination of a lot of learning about the army when I was able to understand it more and see what basic training would be like, even if for just 5 days. There were recent Ethiopian Immigrants, Israelis, Russians and another Masa group from Brazil. Our group was certainly the oldest and best behaved, but it was good to interact with others from different places and experience it all together.
Since Gadna we celebrated Shavuot on the Kfar with a big festival in which parents and others came to see the Kfar and a show the kids put on for everyone with singing and dancing. I have been going to the beach and enjoying life on a farm where they are growing the most delicious cantaloupe I have ever tasted. Last weekend I went to Eilat, which is the southern most point in Israel where it meets the Red Sea and borders with Egypt and Jordan. It is in the middle of the desert and it is crazy the resort town they build in the last like 40 years from nothing. There are the most beautiful fish there because there is a lot of Reefs, so I went snorkeling and I swear saw colors I didn't know could exist under water.
It is hard to believe that I am leaving in just one week, a number of people I know from my program and others I have met here who are on Masa pograms have already left and it is just strange and sad that this dream is coming to a close. Nonetheless, I know that I have taken complete opportunity here to grow and experience before the rest of my life begins. While it is still a mystery where it comes from, my connection to Israel and my Judaism is deeper than ever and I understand myself a great deal more than when I got here...with stronger conviction in my values and the person I am! Today there was a ceremony for us at the Kfar and it was crazy how many of the students wanted to keep in touch, how many cheered for me when I went on stage to accept my certficate and how much my program director listed that I had done here at the Kfar in this short amount of time. It made me realize that I have worked to do a lot here, even if at times it seemed unrecognized and unimpressive. In fact, I was speaking with a woman today who knew I was on the "American" program at the Kfar and began to tell me how her daughter had made an "American" friend who she loved and spoke of often. She says, "Do you know a girl named Kara?" When I told her it was me, she pointed out her daughter and it was one of the girls I have been working with to get the paper at the Kfar recycled but hse is very shy and I never actually did more than tell her what to do and say hello to her on campus. To know that she had told her mother about me and been positively impacted by my small interaction was just so rewarding to me...it made me feel powerful and accomplished. With that note, a dream has certainly been fulfilleD!
Since I last wrote I have been on many trips with my group and on my own. First, we took a day trip to Ashdod, a small city south of Tel Aviv on the coast that is home to many Ethiopian immigrants. We met with people at an absorption center to learn about Ethiopian life in Israel, since we work with so many Ethiopians on the Kfar. It is so fascinating how they lead their life and then came to Israel. They practice Judaism as if it never had so much of the Rabbinical law that we follow. However, their laws of Kashrut and regarding Shabbat are nearly the same. When they first came to Israel, though, the State of Israel determined that they were JEwish in terms of the "law of return" meaning that they had the right as Jews to return to the land of Zion, but the religious Rabbis did not accept them as Jewish. They wanted all of them to be converted to be Jewish, or else they could not marry in Israel. There were many protests regarding this, because the Ethiopians did not want to convert to a religion they beleived they were-the men did not want to be re-circumsized when they had had their bris when they were babies just like every other Jewish man. Aside from the shock that they were not accepted as Jews, they moved from third world Africa to first world Israel. If you have read "The Red Tent" by Anita Diamante, just imagine their lives in Ethiopia as it was described in that book. They had to be taught about running water, toilets, cooking indoors, etc. But one thing must be remembered- they had a holiday in Ethiopia where they would go up on a particular hilltop and pray to get to Jerusalem, to return to Jerusalem, and now they were returned to the land of Zion. Many of them live in poverty in Israel because the parents do not know how to speak Hebrew well and they do not know how to live in this world, or how to do the jobs that are necessary. So, the absorbtion center that we visited helps the youth to keep them off the street and out of trouble so that the next generation will be better integrated into Israeli life. It was an interesting visit.
The next trip that we took was to the West Bank, to Judean Samaria where radical Jews have been creating settlements to take back the land they believe to be ours from the time of the bible. We saw how they live and why they choose to live in this area "illegally" since Olmert has made building new "homes" in the West Bank illegal according to the zoning laws. We learned how they get around the laws to build their homes. While this is certainly not a funny matter, it was an interesting tour because it was like one of those new developments in the US where they give you a pamphlet about how great it is and how you around...only this time they showedy ou the factory where they produce the walls that go up over night so that no one comes and stops them, the Yeshiva, the Shul and the Mikveh. It is actually a beautiful place with magnificent views that we saw through windows of the bullet proof bus we took there. At the end the man who took us there and gave us his very biased view of life there, as a resident, he told us "thank you for coming and seeing the "facts" for yourself. Now there was a great deal I learned on that day, and much of it was truthful information, but from a biased point of view and much of it was certainly not warranting the title of "facts". Nonetheless, you can't know the whole picture until you see the extremes, right? Or maybe the proper go-to phrase is "that's why they make vanilla and chocolate ice cream" as my mom always said.
The most interesting part of the past few weeks, though, was certainly my 4 day Gadna experience in which I learned a taste of what it is to be a combat soldier. Yes, I smeared charcoal on my face and decorated myself with leaves and branches when I learned about camoflauge (there are pictures that are posted here so you can see) and I shot an M-16. The M-16 is the gun that all the soldiers in Israel carry, and also the gun used for Vietnam. Yes, my father was apparantly an excellent shot on an M-16 but that certainly did not get passed on to me who did not hit the target event once (it was the gun!). Does anyone know where those guns were made? Yes, that is correct by Colt in Hartford, Conn. It is labeled on every gun, along with "Property of the US Govt." Strange to see the first time but we are allies, right? I learned a lot about the army and sat in the place of a 17 year old who would be going to the army in the next year. Gadna was developed for high school students with only 1 year left before the army, so they are about 17, to give them a perspective of what it will be like, mostly so that they are not scared and learn about it before they get there so they know how it will be. For me, it was culmination of a lot of learning about the army when I was able to understand it more and see what basic training would be like, even if for just 5 days. There were recent Ethiopian Immigrants, Israelis, Russians and another Masa group from Brazil. Our group was certainly the oldest and best behaved, but it was good to interact with others from different places and experience it all together.
Since Gadna we celebrated Shavuot on the Kfar with a big festival in which parents and others came to see the Kfar and a show the kids put on for everyone with singing and dancing. I have been going to the beach and enjoying life on a farm where they are growing the most delicious cantaloupe I have ever tasted. Last weekend I went to Eilat, which is the southern most point in Israel where it meets the Red Sea and borders with Egypt and Jordan. It is in the middle of the desert and it is crazy the resort town they build in the last like 40 years from nothing. There are the most beautiful fish there because there is a lot of Reefs, so I went snorkeling and I swear saw colors I didn't know could exist under water.
It is hard to believe that I am leaving in just one week, a number of people I know from my program and others I have met here who are on Masa pograms have already left and it is just strange and sad that this dream is coming to a close. Nonetheless, I know that I have taken complete opportunity here to grow and experience before the rest of my life begins. While it is still a mystery where it comes from, my connection to Israel and my Judaism is deeper than ever and I understand myself a great deal more than when I got here...with stronger conviction in my values and the person I am! Today there was a ceremony for us at the Kfar and it was crazy how many of the students wanted to keep in touch, how many cheered for me when I went on stage to accept my certficate and how much my program director listed that I had done here at the Kfar in this short amount of time. It made me realize that I have worked to do a lot here, even if at times it seemed unrecognized and unimpressive. In fact, I was speaking with a woman today who knew I was on the "American" program at the Kfar and began to tell me how her daughter had made an "American" friend who she loved and spoke of often. She says, "Do you know a girl named Kara?" When I told her it was me, she pointed out her daughter and it was one of the girls I have been working with to get the paper at the Kfar recycled but hse is very shy and I never actually did more than tell her what to do and say hello to her on campus. To know that she had told her mother about me and been positively impacted by my small interaction was just so rewarding to me...it made me feel powerful and accomplished. With that note, a dream has certainly been fulfilleD!
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